Living History: Anne of Cleves House

'Every man praises the beauty of Lady Anne. She as far excels the Duchess of Saxony as the golden sun excels the silver moon.’ These sweet nothings were the words of Thomas Cromwell to his King in 1539. The King was none other than Henry VIII and Cromwell no less than a cool-tongued councillor. But Henry found nothing sweet in his Protestant bride to be.

Henry was the amorous type. A portrait of Anne by the artist Hans Holbein was what swayed him into marriage. Seeing her in the flesh was a different matter. He complained about her smell and her sagging breasts. He called her ‘The Flander’s Mare’ and later the friendlier version ‘Henry’s Dear Sister.’ Not a golden sun in sight.

After a quick spell (or smell) of marriage Henry annulled his marital bonds in 1540. Anne had been Queen for just three months. He left her the traditional Wealden type building abundant with carved oak furniture, eighteenth century tapestries and rare stonework from excavations at Lewes Priory. More notably he left her a large round table. This table was said to have held the murder weapons that were used in the killing of Sir Thomas Beckett. When the weapons were placed on the table after the deed it was said that they were so blood-soaked that the table became darkly possessed. Today it can be seen hanging on the wall of Anne’s bedroom. Not the warmest of gifts but still, it’s better than a beheading. EM